Panic Room
by KHaggie2020
Summary: Tony swore Steve was hiding somewhere after the Civil War and swore that if he ever saw his face again, Steve would regret it. So when Steve shows up to the tower, severely hurt, Tony is conflicted. He agrees to treat the soldier, but when he finds about what really happened to the man, he questions all the anger he felt. *Currently no AIW spoilers. Takes place after CACW*
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- Hi everyone! This is my first time writing for Avengers, so I'm a little nervous about posting this. A few things real quick:**

 **This takes place after CACW, but before AIW, but I may use some spoilers a little later from IW to explain some things when it gets there, I'll make sure to note it.**

 **Some things probably are not super realistic, but its fiction, so I took some liberties. (YAY for comic book/fiction science!)**

 **Currently making this T rated, but may go up, unsure as of right now.**

 **Anyways, like I said, it's my first time writing for Avengers, so I was a little hesitant to post this and had it in my drafts for a while, so please let me know if you like it!**

 **Disclaimer- Not mine.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Stephen Strange sat in the once known Avenger's tower, eating dinner when the call came.

"Sir, Captain Rogers is currently in your private waiting room" JARVIS informed, with no other explanation. Tony stilled, blindsided by the call, locking eyes with Bruce.

"I believe he needs medical attention sir, he appears injured and in distress" JARVIS followed up after a period of silence. That got Tony moving. While he resented the man, and may never forgive him for what happened up on that mountain, if Steve was coming _here_ for medical attention, something must be wrong.

"Strange, grab your kit, meet us at the elevator" was all Tony said, voice hard and his face gave no insight into how he felt. Strange nodded, running upstairs. Tony was glad at times like these to have an actual doctor on hand. While Bruce was great as a fill-in, he wasn't a medical doctor, and only knew so much. Once Stephen arrived, they headed down to the room. Tony kept a private waiting room for private investors, CEO's of other companies, and other important people who visited him. It was a lavish area, with black leather couches, mini fridge stocked with drinks of all kinds, a mini bar, and multiple cabinets with food.

"He better not be bleeding onto my couch" Tony muttered, malice lacing his voice. Bruce and Strange shared a look. Tony had only given them bits and pieces of what happened between him and Steve, but never the whole story. When they arrived at the door, Tony moved to just open the door, but Bruce stopped him, putting a hand in front of him. Bruce then raised his hand to knock, raising his eyebrows at Tony. When no answer was given, Bruce nodded and Tony pushed the door open. There stood Steve at the counter, trying to open a bottle of water with a hand covered in wet, sticky blood. The soldier looked pale, and a small puddle had formed underneath his feet.

"Steve?" Bruce ventured softly, not wanting to startle him. Steve jerked, then grimaced in pain, huffing out a pained breath, He stayed where he was, gripping the counter like his life depended on it, but turned his head to the entourage that Tony brought. Tony didn't let anything show, but the sight of the normally kept together soldier with messy hair, clothes hanging off him, and shaking hands, threw him for a loop. _What had happened?_ When Steve's eyes landed on Strange, an unknown person, a possible threat, his body language changed. He tensed, his breathing got more erratic, his eyes turned wild, and darted around, trying to find exits. He looked like a cornered animal. Bruce, noticing the shift, placed his hands out in an unthreatening gesture.

"It's alright Steve. That's Stephen Strange. He's a friend of ours." Bruce heard Strange take a few steps back to give them room, and give Steve some space. "Can you tell us what's wrong? That way we can help? Your bleeding all over...the serum should have taken care of you." Bruce murmured that last part, confusion clouding his voice. During the whole exchange, Tony surveyed the man. He had first noticed that he was pale, but atoned that to blood loss, if that was even possible for the super soldier. But as he looked more closely, he noticed the way his eyes were sunken in, his face pinched. There were dark bags underneath his eyes, and a subtle shake not to just his hands, but his whole body. When Tony looked further than Steve's face, he could see his shirt was hanging off him like it was two sizes too big. The shirt was cut in multiple places, allowing them to see where Steve was injured. The injuries he carried were deep and looked like there were made almost professionally. Made to hurt and bleed a lot, but not to kill outright. Tony had to wonder again _what the hell happened._

Bruce took a step forward, alarmed by the puddle of blood formed at Steve's feet. "Steve, we need to help you, ok? You obviously came here for help, so let us help you." Bruce took a few more steps when the soldier didn't react, to Bruce's dismay it was because he was concentrating on keeping on his feet. Bruce motioned Strange over slowly. Tony, not sure what to do, approached as well. Steve didn't react when Bruce laid a hand on his shoulder, just shivered. He reached over and opened the bottle of water for the soldier, who looked defeated by the simple task. Steve reached out with shaky hands to grab the bottle, but Bruce gently pushed them away, tilting Steve's face up and tilting the bottle into his mouth, helping him drink. The soldier gulped down the water, obviously thirsty.

"We should get him upstairs, I can't do much here" Strange muttered to Tony as Bruce helped Steve. Tony hesitated, was expecting to just put a band-aid on the man and send him on his way as they made there way here, but seeing Steve in this condition, he knew he couldn't send him away. Tony nodded.

"Let us get him to Bruce's lab, it's the closest." Tony sighed, watching Bruce help Steve finish the bottle. Tony ducked under Steves right shoulder, while Bruce moved underneath his left. They helped Steve to his feet, and then slowly made their way to the elevator. Steve grunted each time his left foot was placed down, and did a little hop every now and then, avoiding stepping on it altogether. When they finally reached the elevator, Seve was panting for breath and slumped over some. Bruce tried getting a look at Steve's leg while he was standing, but it was too dark in the elevator.

They finally reached the floor, and Tony, Bruce, and Steve hobbled out while Strange ran ahead to clear a table and set his supplies up. As they stepped in the threshold of the lab, Steve balked, refusing as much as possible to move, eyes wide and wild again. Bruce's lab had a lot of clutter, instruments thrown here and there, but was much cleaner than Tony's. Steve started to shake in their grip, shaking his head, lips moving but no words coming out. For Tony, it didn't take a genius to realize what was going on.

"He's scared... something must have happened to him...someone must of..." Tony let his revelation sink in, Bruce sucking in a breath, Strange watching them.

"He needs help, like urgently. We don't have time to get him up to another floor. Tony look how much blood he has lost just standing here. Steve...come on, it's ok." Bruce and Tony both led Steve into the lab, albeit with some difficulty when he tried to get away from them, but failed. They gently urged him up onto the table, and Strange took a look.

"Let's get his shirt off," he muttered, grabbed scissors and started to cut. Steve, out of breath and eyes squeezed shut in pain, didn't react. When Roger's top was cut away, the three standing men could do nothing but stare. Steve's abdomen was a mess of deep lacerations, burn marks, bruises, and even a brand that traveled to his back that they couldn't read. In the crease of his elbows stood needle track marks, dozens of them, stark against his pale skin.

"What...happened to him" Tony breathed, lost for words, staring, swallowing loudly in the silent room besides Steve's harsh breathing.

"Looks like he wasn't hiding the whole time like you thought" Bruce muttered dejectedly, remembering Tony sneering and ranting to them that he hoped Steve had found a good hiding spot because if he ever showed his face in public, he was going after him. Tony looked down, remembering what he said that day.

Steve whimpered, actually whimpered, and Strange jumped into action.

"Bruce, can you pass me those gauze pads? Thanks" he started putting pressure on the wounds that were currently bleeding the most, causing Steve to yell in pain. "Sorry Captain" he muttered, not letting up the pressure. Steve seemed to be unaware of the proceedings, only reacting whenever someone touched him. His breathing got more ragged as Bruce took more gauze and pressed into another wound. Tony stood, watching, not sure what to do.

"Tony, get some gloves on and start to get my stitching needle together. These wounds look hours old, and they still are not healing. Gonna try and help the serum along some." Strange continued trying to staunch the bleeding on the numerous wounds that littered Steve's ventral side, Bruce, checking over the burns.

"These are nasty. Some of them may be second-degree burns. I don't think any of them are third though. But there may be some electrical burns as well. I can't tell since they wrap around to his back." Bruce hurriedly reported to Strange, digging through the med kit to find something to put on the burns. Tony finished threading the needle, putting it on a roller table out of the way. He stood, watching the two work, then moved his eyes to Steve's face, which was contorted in pain. The soldier was biting his lip, eyes squeezed shut. This was obviously extremely painful.

"Bruce, how far along were you on that sedative for the Hulk?" Tony questions, mind quickly running through possible scenarios.

"It's totally untested Tony. I never got around to completing it. What are you thinking?" Bruce was currently putting cold washcloths on the accessible burns while Strange prodded at Steve's ribs, frowning when the flesh gave way.

"Just look at him! Your about to stitch together wounds that will probably require over forty stitches, _each_! Your seriously telling me that you didn't think about pain management?" Tony was pacing now, trying to come up with something that may beat out Steve's metabolism.

"Tony, you know I would have given him something if I could of. It's unfair, and it's very painful for him right now, but we have no choice. We don't have anything prepared or tested. Unfortunately, he is just going to have to work through this himself." Bruce sighed defeatedly, looking down at Steve's face, knowing the man must be in worlds of pain right now.

"What are the components of what you are working on?" Tony demanded, still pacing, halting Strange as he went to get his needle.

"Which version?" Bruce asked, brow furrowed, trying to figure out what Tony was getting at.

"Any. What did you commonly put in it?"

"Um, Xylazine, which is horse sedative, acepromazine, and some propofol sometimes. Just something that would put the Hulk down, or stop a transition. Each time I tested a batch, something changed." Bruce shrugged, watching Tony pace.

"Do you have any of it left?" Tony demanded, watching Steve's face. His eyes were now open, but unfocused, his pupils blown wide. Tony doubted the super soldier knew what was going on anymore, lost in the haziness of pain. Tony, despite the anger he felt towards the betrayal that Steve had pushed on him, felt some sympathy for him in the current moment. Tony knew what it was like to go through extreme amounts of pain without any sort of chemical help. He wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy.

"I have a whole box of the Xylazine, maybe some Ace. Pretty easy to come by. Tony, what are you planning on doing?"

"What would be the better option out of the two?" Tony demanded, grabbing a pad of paper, scribbling some things down. Strange watched the two, while he was a medical doctor, he had no experience with the serum, leaving Bruce to work through this with Tony, only offering his expertise when asked.

"Xylazine is a sedative, it'll knock him out, and give some pain relief. Ace is just a tranquilizer. It'll just calm him down, but he will still feel the pain." Bruce provided.

"Go get the Xylazine then. Just grab the whole box. How much did you put in your samples?"

"Not enough apparently. Around 15 ccs. But Tony, I had other components too, if you're just giving him this by itself, your gonna need a whole lot more." Bruce left him with that, running into his stock room to grab the box. Strange had a thought.

"Do you think the serum is...not functioning properly? I mean, these wounds are hours old, and these burns, from what I can see, look at least a day old. I don't know much about the serum, but shouldn't they have started to heal by now?" Strange questioned, moving over to look at the wounds on Steve's chest. The soldier barely registered their presence, too far gone to notice anything outside of direct touch. Tony frowned and moved closer, taking a look. He nodded, then motioned Bruce over, who listened to Strange's theory.

"It would make sense. Either something is slowing it down, or he has too many injuries that it can't keep up" Bruce agreed, frowning. He moved a hand to Steve's face, hovering it over his eyes. The soldier didn't react. Bruce ran an ungloved hand over his face. "Alright, Tony. Let's give this a try." Bruce grabbed a bottle of the Xylazine, and a needle, motioning for Tony to do the same. They both drew up a full 20 mL syringe and capping it. "Ok, let's introduce half of one, and see what that does. If the serum isn't working at full capacity, it might not take as much to get him under." Bruce walked carefully over to Steve, and grabbed an alcohol swipe, cleaning a small section of the super soldier's arm. Steve barley reacted. Bruce pushed the needle under his skin, and depressed the plunger, giving Steve 10 ccs of the Xylazine, extracting the needle, and tossing the needle into a sharps container. "Ok, let's see." Bruce held his breath, directing Tony how to monitor him without machines. Tony tilted Steves head back some to keep his airway clear, and a finger on his pulse point at his neck.

"His pulse his ridiculously fast," Tony muttered, listening to Steve breath harshly

"He is in pain." Strange muttered, cleaning Steve's abdomen as much as possible despite the blood still welling from the lacerations. Tony nodded, watching Steve's eyes. They were still open, moving around some, but unseeing.

"I don't think he is going down" Tony informed Bruce, who was scribbling on the pad Tony grabbed, trying to figure out a concoction to help Steve.

"Give it a little bit more, it might take a few minutes. If it doesn't seem to have any effect in five minutes, we will give him more. Is his pulse slowing down?" Bruce scribbled more on the pad, a crease between his eyebrows.

"Ehh, not really." Tony provided.

"Whats his rate?" Strange asked.

Tony glanced at his watch counting Steve's thumping heart, quickly doing the math in his head. "Around 138" Tony provided, knowing Steve's heart could handle the higher rates, but it was still discerning feeling it so fast. Strange nodded, continuing cleaning Steve's chest up.

Five minutes past, Tony shakes his head. "Nothing, no change." He sighs. Bruce nods, grabbing the same syringe, screwing on a new needle, and injecting the rest of the medicine into Steve's arm, then taking the other syringe and dispensing half of that into Steve as well.

"Let's see if that'll do anything." Bruce steps away, back to the pad, scribbling away, muttering to himself, and asking JARVIS a question here and there. Strange keeps trying to keep Steve from bleeding out, hoping they get things under control quickly. Tony keeps his hands on Steve's pulse points and listening to his breathing. Tony shakes his head when Bruce comes back over almost ten minutes later.

"It's slowed some, I think the last time I counted it was like 125, but he's still awake," Tony muttered, wishing this could be easy. Bruce grabbed the half-empty syringe, injecting it into Steve, pulling up another full syringe, and injecting the full barrel into him as well.

"Let's see if that works." Bruce sighed, walking away again.

"If not, we have to get these wounds closed guys. It's not good them to be open to the air this long, especially this deep, super soldier or not." Strange pestered over Steve, still stemming some blood flow.

About five minutes later, Tony gasped. "Guys! He's asleep! His eyes are closed, and his heart rate is..." Tony paused for 30 seconds, counting. "95!" Tony exclaimed, happy they finally got Steve asleep.

Bruce sighed in relief. "Good, good" He walked over, checking Steve for himself, nodding. "JARVIS, make a note that it takes 60 ccs of Xylazine to knock Captain Rogers out."

"Noted Dr. Banner" JARVIS replied, storing the information away. Strange started coaching Bruce through with his stitches. From there, they rolled Rogers over, working on his back. When they first rolled him over, they were again shocked at the violence that was put on the Captain.

"Holy...does that say what I think it says?" Tony asks from the head of the table, still monitoring Steve. ("Still hovering at 95 Bruce, if it changes, I'll let you know")

"I...I think it does." Strange gasped out, despite having no emotional or personal connection to Steve, the natural human response of seeing another fellow species in such a condition was getting to him. All three were currently staring at a harsh, red brand that started at the bottom of Steve's left hip and traveled to the middle of his lower back. In big block letters, it read "PROPERTY OF HYDRA".

Tony turned green and fought back against the bile that climbed up his throat. "Oh god...I...I can't believe..." Tony trailed off, fearing the longer he kept his mouth open, the more of a chance he would have of puking up his dinner.

Bruce was fighting back a different kind of green, taking deep breaths with his eyes closed to calm himself. "No wonder he came here...probably the only place he thought was at least somewhat safe, even if it meant having to face Tony." Strange knew there wasn't much he could do with the ugly mark on Steve's lower back, so he continued to care for the bleeding wounds, black and blue bruises.

"Roll him back over, we need to check his left leg. He was limping to the point where he wouldn't put pressure on it." Bruce murmured, reaching down to Steve's knee, feeling around the kneecap, noticing the way it moved unnaturally. He moved further down, feeling around the ankle, frowning. "Well his kneecap is definitely dislocated, but his ankle doesn't feel right. I cant tell what exactly is wrong though."

"Could be a hairline fracture. Let's just stabilize the whole leg from the knee down to be safe." And they did just that. To finish up, they wrapped Steve's chest as best as possible around the stitches to help some fractured ribs heal.

"OK, let's get him somewhere more comfortable to wake up," Bruce stated, not sure how they were going to move over 200 pounds of an unconscious super soldier. Tony nodded, obviously thinking the same as Bruce.

"One issue...how are we gonna move him?" Tony looked to Strange, who was cleaning himself up, blood all over his clothes.

"Do you have a moveable table in here?" Strange asked, scanning the room. Bruce eyes lightened up, then nodded, pulling over a slightly smaller table that had wheels.

"Here." Bruce pushed the table right next to the other, so the three of them could slide Rogers over to the movable table. When that was done, they wheeled the table into the elevator, going to an empty floor. When they arrived, they gently placed the unconscious soldier on the bed, deciding on a rotation to keep watch.

"I'll go first," Tony volunteered, not sure if he wanted Steve to wake when he was here or not. Bruce nodded, and he ushered Strange out to get changed.

"Call us if he wakes up, I'm going to go get some food together. Want anything?" Bruce offered.

Tony shook his head, not hungry after seeing what was done to the Captain. "Nah, I'm good. I'll let you know if he wakes." With that, the other two men left.

* * *

When Steve wakes, the drumming pain is already making itself known. He barely has his eyes opened before he is gasping, trying to get away from the fire licking at his body. Hands insistently push him down, a voice urgently telling him something, but he cant understand them at first.

"-just lay down you crazy oaf!" the voice tells him, one he recognizes, but cannot place in his scattered, disorganized mind. He lays back, squeezing his eyes in pain, fighting off the tears that threatened to fall. When he finally relaxes and takes a deep breath, he reopens his eyes, and his met face to face with the one man he thought he would never see again.

"T-tony?" Steve stuttered, eyes wide, positive that he will end up in the Raft after this.

"Yeah, easy Cap, just stay still. JARVIS, get Bruce and Stephen, tell them Caps awake." Tony commands his AI, not looking back at the super soldier. Steve just gapes, looking down at his body, realizing he doesn't have a shirt, and he had received medical care.

"T-Tony?" Steve asks, voice airy and taking on a scared breath. "W-What's going on?"

Tony doesn't answer, his back to him, waiting for the other two men to arrive. When they do, he breathes a sigh of relief.

"When did he wake?" Strange askes, taking a step closer to the skittish soldier, looking at Tony.

"Like 2 minutes ago," Tony responds, watching Strange approach Steve, who leans away from the doctor, eyes wide and untrusting of the unknown man.

"It's fine Captain Rogers. I am just going to check on your wounds." Strange lifts the blanket covering Steve's chest, looking over the stitches, pleased that they were not pulled out in what he suspects was a panicked wake up if the soldier's respiratory rate was anything to go by.

"Are you in pain Steve?" Bruce asks gently from the side table, a few bottles of liquid in front of him, as well as multiple syringes and needles. The blond nods, body tense once he spots the needles.

"I-I...d-dont...p-please..." Steve stumbled over his words, eyes wide, locked on what Bruce had laid out. Bruce then remembers the track marks in the crease of Steve's elbows, and takes a deep breath, not ready to deal with a skittish, traumatized torture victim.

"Steve, look at me please," Bruce commands, waiting for Steve to lift his eyes to his. When they do, he smiles gently, hoping to disarm the Captain. "None of us will hurt you. We just want you to feel better ok? So, I want to take the pain away so you can comfortably rest, we have some things we want to talk about, and we cant do that if your unconscious."

Steve hesitated, eyes still lingering on the syringes Bruce laid out. Finally, he gave a slow nod, taking a deep breath as he watched Bruce fill two syringes.

"Alright, hold still Steve," Bruce commanded, wiping a portion of Steve's arm before injecting the contents into his body. "This should help with the pain." Steve nodded, still wary of the rest of the contents of the side table, but Bruce pushed them away once he got two syringes worth of medicine into Steve.

Strange handed Rogers a water bottle, who drank it greedily, obviously thirsty. They waited till the medicine kicked in, a small smile shared between them when the normally uptight soldier, sighed in relief, dropping his shoulders.

Tony sat up straighter and leaned close. He already knew the answer to his question, but had to hear it from Steve himself.

"What happened to you?" Tony asked, gripping his chair until his knuckles turned white.

Steve looked down at his hands, wringing them out of nervousness. He hesitated, not wanting to talk about it, but knowing that Tony deserved some sort of answer to him showing up here uninvited, bleeding all over his floors.

"I um...spent the past year and a half...captured by Hydra..." Steve admitted, gripping his sheets, letting the shame wash over him.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N- Oh my. I'm so sorry this is way too late! I totally just kept putting off writing, and this happened.**

 **Please review!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Steve fell asleep shortly after his confession, the drugs Bruce had given him making him drowsy. This time, Bruce stayed to keep watch over the sleeping soldier. The soft in and out of his breathing centered the scientist, making him calm. He studied the younger man, who looked all of his age in the bed he was currently resting in. Tony had been conflicted for most of the night. Pinging from outrage at Steve being here, to wanting to give the man everything and anything he needed to recover. It was draining Bruce's control over his emotions. So he sent Tony to bed, Strange following, quietly telling Bruce to wake him if he needed a break, needed some sleep. He nodded at the doctor, giving his thanks, and walked back in to find the soldier asleep, snoring softly. So Bruce watched him sleep, checking his vitals every hour. He was unsure how his concoction would react in Steve's body, and he wanted to be certain the soldier was sleeping undisturbed. Especially since it seemed like something was wrong with the serum. While they were unsure of the exact timing of Steve's wounds, they should have at least started healing. And the serum also made it impossible for any items such as tattoos, and thus brands, to stay on his skin. That's why the soldier did not carry a tattoo from his time in the Army like many other soldiers did. Bruce mulled over the evidence all night, eventually falling asleep himself by the time the sun was rising.

* * *

Steve woke up to the sound of the door opening. His drug-addled brain couldn't wake up fast enough for his liking, so he was forced to lie there, and listen to the intruder walk closer to his resting place. Soft words Steve could not decipher were spoken, and then a hand was on his shoulder. He tried to move away, but his body was slow to cooperate. The hand left his shoulder.

After what felt like an eternity, Steve was able to be fully aware. He opened his eyes, staring at Bruce, and the man called Strange, conversing quietly.

"Morning Steve" Bruce greeted him pleasantly, bringing over a tray of food. Steve nodding to Bruce, but was mostly focused on the food. He sits up, wincing when the movement pulls at the stitches across his chest and stomach. He smelled eggs and toast, and his mouth watered. Bruce pulled over a bedside table, situating it so it was over his legs. Bruce then placed the tray on top.

"There. Eat up" Bruce murmured, flipping through some papers on a clipboard and talking quietly to Strange as Steve ate.

"Thanks," Steve said in between bites. He watched Banner and Strange from the corner of his eye, curious as to what the two men were looking at. All too soon, the food was gone, and with his mind now unoccupied, in its place came some pain. He winced as he shifted on the bed, his ankle throbbing in time with his heartbeat. Bruce quickly noticed Steves shifting and discomfort, drawing up some more of the concoction he hoped was working, and slowly pushing it through Steve's IV. The soldier slowly drifted off again, the pain meds also seeming to have a sedative effect on him.

Strange sat on the other side of the bed, watching the soldier drop off into sleep. Once he knew the man was well unconscious, he lifted the blanket that was covering his chest up, taking a look at the stitches. Strange frowned, leaning closer.

"Bruce...come here a second"

Bruce came closer, taking a look at the stitches.

"They look ok. No redness, puffiness. They're not coming undone." Bruce trailed off after looking at Strange's face. "What?"

"Look, I don't know much about the serum, I have no experience with it, but how suppressed would it have to be, for these not to be healed at all?" Strange sat back, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck.

Bruce went quiet, thinking. "I can tell something is wrong, given the injuries he came in with, and the fact that his skin was able to retain a brand that seems to be older than the wounds, but I can't tell much else. The first step we can do is take blood, and see if we find any abnormalities. From there," Bruce sighed, looking concerned, "it may be a guessing game."

Strange nodded, leaning back and rifling through the cabinet to find a syringe and blood tubes. They quickly drew up enough and started testing it.

* * *

It was a little after noon when Steve woke again. As he slowly became more conscious, he heard the soft scribbling of a pencil. He opened his eyes towards his left, surprised to see Tony perched in a chair. Tony was still focused on his work, not yet aware that the soldier was awake, so Steve took the liberty to survey him. Tony didn't look much different, maybe a few more grey hairs, a new furrow between his eyes, but otherwise the man looked the same. Steve allowed himself two more minutes before he spoke up.

"You look good Tony." Steve internally winced at his hoarse voice and the way it made Stark jump in his seat, his notebook and pencil falling to the floor. Tony hastily picked up his utensils before speaking to Steve.

"Yeah well..." he trailed off, pointedly avoiding the soldier's gaze.

Steve sighed, clearing his throat. "Tony, look. I...I'm sorry. I should have never-"

"How are you feeling?" Tony cut Steve off, redirecting the question back to the younger man.

Steve was taken back by how quickly he was cut off but went with it. "I'm...Ok, I think. Bruce didn't really say anything when I was awake this morning, but he did say that we needed to talk, so.." Steve trailed off, looking down, berating himself for how awkward things had gotten between them that he couldn't even hold a conversation with Tony. "Tony, look seriously. I'm sorry." He could see the man about to speak again, so Steve just spoke faster, needing to get this out. "I never imagined things would have gone the way they did up there, and if I knew that's how things were gonna go, I would have found another way. It wasn't his fault Tony, you have to believe me. We were only trying to protect what was right. And yeah, it was kind of crappy of me to hold that big of a secret from you, but I thought I was doing what was right, just like how you thought signing the accords was right." Steve took a breath, finally getting everything he always wanted to say out.

Tony was silent, looking at the scuffed floor underneath his chair. He eventually took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, raising his eyes to meet Steve's. "Look, you can apologize all you want because I know right now, that's all you can do. But it is not going to change what happened. I'm over it. It happened, it's done and over with. We cant go back in time and change either of our actions. So right now, we need to focus on you getting better. Bruce has some news, and he should be here shortly. So let's drop the constant apologies, and the need to make things right. I am over it, capiche?"

Steve just nodded, glad he wasn't being yelled at. Tony went back to working in his notebook, while Steve minded his time between staring at the wall, or staring at the monitor that read out his vitals that someone must have found while he was asleep. Now that he thinks about it, he can feel the sticky electrodes sticking to him, and the pulse ox on his finger, which was defiantly not there this morning. They both sat in silence for about 20 minutes until a knock on the door, and then the door opening slowly interrupted their thinking. Both Bruce and Strange entered, Strange sitting next to Tony on Steve's left, Bruce on the right.

"While you were asleep, we took some blood and ran some different panels. We found some things that...that doesn't seem right. First, your thyroid panel is telling me that you have hypothyroidism. If you were a normal human, we may be able to mount the slow healing to that, but given you are not..." Bruce flicked through some more paper, looking at different numbers that meant nothing to Steve. "Other things were low on the chemistry panel, but nothing too glaring. What bothers me is that your white blood count is low. Platelets are low as well. The serum should be taking care of these issues, and replenishing it. So that begs the question. When and what happened to you?"

Steve looked at his blanket, picking at the threads.

"Look, I get you don't want to talk about it, but it would really help us in figuring out why your body is not healing as well as it should, and why the serum is not working very well." This was Strange, leaning forward to talk to Steve.

Steve was quiet for a little while, and the three other men let him gather his thoughts. They quietly worked on other activities, until Steve took a deep breath.

"After Bucky had gone to Wakanda, I went into hiding in the outskirts of Germany. I laid low, stayed in some abandoned buildings until the uproar of what happened died down. From then I stayed in dinky motels that could never pass a health inspection test. But, it was fine. I was laying low on the outskirts of some city walking down a badly lit street when I was jumped. I...I don't remember much after that" Steve got quiet, obviously holding his emotions together. The other three men stayed quiet as well, not pushing him, just letting the soldier speak when he was ready. For as strong as Steve was, whatever was done to him shook him to his core. "When I woke, I was tied to a table, some man with a black mask standing over me, saying something in some language I don't know. He cut my shirt off, and then just...left. I laid there in the dark for what I think was about 2 hours? Then all the lights came on and I was surrounded by people...everyone had a hydra emblem somewhere on their clothes. Doctors, guards, everyone. I...I went cold..." Steve went quiet again, obviously lost in the memory of coming face to face with a room full of hydra, and being totally at their mercy. "During the 2 hours, I tried so hard to find a way out of the bonds, but there was none...The guy who was in charge of everything came over and told me that they were gonna not only make me pay for almost destroying hydra, but also to figure the serum, or if they must, take it from my dead body."

"Did any of that iconic Captain America sass come out?" Tony asked, trying to make light of the situation as he normally does.

Steve went along with it, chuckling darkly. "Yeah. I told him that 'better men than him have tried" Steve glanced over at Bruce, who looked down at his notes, refusing to meet his eyes, "and then called him a few choice names."

Tony chuckled stiffly, not find much humor in the situation.

"Then they started putting wires and electrodes and other things that I have never seen before on me. I tried to convince the doctors to stop, that they didn't have to do this, but it seemed like they believed in the ideology too. Once that was completed, some other doctors took blood, hair samples, they forced saliva samples, but not before I almost bit of their fingers off. By this time I was really ticked off and just wanted to be left alone. But the guy in charge came over, and just made like small cuts across my chest. Honestly, I didn't even know he made the first one until he said something. I didn't realize he cut a square of skin off, just the top layer. Then once that was done, all the doctors stepped aside, and the guy just started cutting in earnest. I took it quietly for a while, refusing to give them what they wanted, but he started to cut under my knee and other sensitive places, and when I started yelling at him to stop, calling him names and such, he stopped. Then they all left. " Steve stopped, taking a breath, clenching his blanket.

"I think, we should stop," Bruce advised, noticing the white of Steve's knuckles, and the pace of his heart rate. Steve nodded, taking a breath.

"Y-yeah...that's a good idea..." Steve agreed, laying back onto the bed, closing his eyes. Tony and Strange stood, Bruce, staying to watch of Steve.

"Sleep Rogers, we will be back later. " Tony said as he left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. And sleep Steve did. But it was not at all peaceful.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hi guys! Sorry for the really long wait. Also, sorry this is so short, I wanted to get something out to you guys!**

 **Hope you enjoy, and please review!**

* * *

When Steve woke up again, the fire that was consuming his body left him breathless. He squeezed his eyes tight, the images from his nightmare still lingering, and the pain in his body leaving him breathless, and unable to move. He heard, distantly, a beeping that turned into an alarm wailing. He wanted to tell someone to turn it off, that the noise was making his skin crawl, and the light coming from overhead hurt his eyes, but another wave of pain came, forcing him to clench his teeth unless he wanted to cry out. And he didn't want to alert his captors that he was suffering.

Strange ran into the room, followed closely by Bruce, JARVIS having told them that the monitor was reading a high heart rate. Strange turned the alarm off while Bruce tried to comfort the soldier on the bed.

"Steve? Hey buddy, listen to me. It's ok," Bruce spoke slowly and softly, but Steve never reacted. Instead, he tried to move further under the blanket, clenching his teeth so hard Bruce was afraid he would break them.

"Strange, can you pull up some medicine? He is in some pain," Bruce still spoke soft, in case Steve was with it enough to hear them.

Once the syringes were in Bruce's hands, he quickly got them into Steve's system, hoping it would take the pain away quickly. After a couple of minutes, Steve relaxed and slipped back into sleep.

* * *

When Steve woke again, he could tell that another person sat beside him, but there was no pain. He opened his eyes slowly, confused at first why Tony Stark was sitting next to him. He then realized he was in a bed, not locked in some cold, wet cell, or strapped to an exam table. He cleared his throat and tried to sit up, Stark's attention now on him as he struggled to pull himself into a sitting position. He felt the pull of skin stitched together, and winced, thankful to not be really feeling the pain.

"You feeling ok?" Tony asks, keeping his voice soft. Steve stares at him like he thinks Tony might not be real, then hesitantly nods. Tony just nods in return, then turns his attention back to his electronic device sitting on his lap. "Bruce should be in shortly. I think he has breakfast for you"

At the mention of food, Steve's stomach growls upset it didn't get fed in a timely manner. Steve is just happy he is getting actual food at all. He twists a piece of the blanket around his finger until the door clicks open, Bruce smiling when he sees Steve sitting up.

"Glad to see your upright today. You woke up around 5 am, but not sure if you remember that." Bruce sets the covered tray down, pulling the table over his legs to allow him to eat. Steve digs right in, stomach protesting the wait.

"Slow down, I can get you more" Bruce half laughs, half says seriously as he watches Steve shovel the scrambled eggs into his mouth, trading a glance with Tony. The soldier in the bed shrugs, slowing down enough to take a few audible gulps of the orange juice.

"Steve, what else happened...with Hydra?" Tony ventures, keeping his voice soft and quiet again, as if talking to a spooked animal. The super soldier, finishes his breakfast, not meeting their eyes. When he pushes away the table, Bruce collects the dirty plates, putting them aside to be taken out, then sits on the opposite side of Steve.

"Is there anything they did that could help us figure out why the serum is not healing you as it should be?" Bruce asked Steve to tell them what happened in a different way, knowing the direct question from Tony spooked Steve.

Steve nodded, staring at his hands, seemingly trying to gather the courage to tell them. After a few moments, he spoke softly, voice hard to hear over the steady beep of his heart rate. "Firstly, they starved me."

"That'll hurt the serum's ability" Bruce muttered, scribbling some things on a notepad.

"They...they wanted to try and..take it. So they drew a lot of blood. I'm talking like a pint or so at a time. So on top of not eating, and then doing that, I was pretty weak within a week," Steve looked down as if the fact he "let" Hydra do this made him any less of the man he was.

"It's ok Steve. That explains all the track marks in your elbow" Bruce nodded along, still writing things down.

"Well, when that didn't work, they grew frustrated. I think their main goal was to get the serum, but when they couldnt...they just went to torture and experimentation. They decided to inject chemicals and other drugs to see what effect it would have on me. I think they defiantly poisoned me at least once. Felt like shit for a few days.." Steve trailed off again, lost in thought. Tony and Bruce stayed quiet. "They kept hurting me and hurting me, to the point I think it was too much. I wasn't healing as fast, wasn't eating, and they still were taking blood. Then they decided I was 'their bitch' and b-b-branded me...I was sure it wouldn't stay, but it did," Steve's voice broke, looking down.

Bruce rested his hand on Steve's, offering comfort. "I-I'm not sure if that explains what you wanted, but that's the pg-13 version of what happened." Steve sniffled, trying to keep his usually locked emotions in check.

"I am wondering if this..poison has anything to do with it. Eventually, you would regain the strength to heal on your own, after eating and resting, and while we can't rule out that possibility since it has only been 24 hours, if you are not starting to heal like normal with proper nutrition and rest, we will have to look into that. Just take it easy ok? Go back to sleep if you can, we will talk again when you wake up." Bruce patted his arm one more time before standing, and leaving the room, taking the dirty dishes with him.

Steve glanced back to Tony, who once again had his face buried in his tablet. He sighed, laying back down, and closing his eyes, falling into a fitful sleep.


End file.
